Jar-capping machine



w. J. lPEELLE JAR CAPPING AGHINE Magen 5,1929.

Filed Aug. 18, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Haj.

March 5, 1929. w, J, 'PEVELLE 1,704,405

JAR annua lucani;

Filed Aug. 1a, 192s 5 sheets-sheet 2 j s lll 1 /0/ ,l l 55 4/ J4 6 l 42 i W. J. PEELLE JAR GAPPING lucarne mmh s, 1929.

Filed Aug. 1a, 192s 5 sheets-sheet 5 V/C7a4 XMK March 5, 1929. w. J. PEELLE 1,704,405

' JAR CAPPING usanza Filed Aug. 18, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 March 5, 1929. Y w. J. PEELLE` 1,704,405

` JAR CAPPING uAcHINE r Filed Aug. 18, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

UNITED STATES WILLIS J. PEELLE, oF calcareo, ILLINOIS.

J ABl-C APEING MACHINE.

Application led August 18, 1923. Serial No. 658,092.

The invention pertains to machines for capping glass bottles, jars and similar containers and the aim of the invention is to produce a machine operating automatically to accomplish the capping operation effectuallv and with a substantially high degree of rajii dity.

lith this aim in view7 the invention has for a primary object the provision of a ma- 10 chine in which the jars or other containers to he capped are moved successively into operative association with a. capping means whereby caps are simultaneously forced onto the mouth of the jar or other container and formed over and around a lip or flange upon the container so Vas to he held securely in position thereon.`

Another object is to provide a capping means adapted operative y to engage a cap upon a cont-ai11e1',npon diametrically oppo-` site sides thereof,` and impart a rotary motion thereto during which the cap is caused to interlock with the mouth of the container.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide means for presenting the containersto the capping means intermittently or with a step-hy-step motion, in such a manner that the containers pause in their ltravel in operative association with the cap )ing means for Le the short interval"required or the capping operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a machine which is adjustable to acconunodate jars of various sizes. v

:as The objects of the invention thus generally stated, together with other and aucillary advantages may he attained hy the construction andV arrangement illustrated in the accompanyinpr drawings forming part hereof 4U wherein,

Figure l is a top plan view of ay machine embodying my invention.

Fig'. 2 is an end view of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view l5 showing' one form of cap-applying means.

Fifi. Ll is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately n the `plane -of line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. is a side `elevational view of the maf chine, the cap-applying means beingr in the forni shown in Fig.

Fi 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing;r still another form of cap-applying means..

Fie. 7 is a vertical sectional viewtaken approximately in the plane of line 7--7 of Fig. 1.

Fig. S is a horizontal enlarged detail view showing a somewhat different form of means Y for applying the caps to the jars.

The machine to which my invention pertains is essentially adapted to cap and seal containers of the type constructed of fragile material such as glass', and including jars,`

bottles and the like, but for convenience in the followingr description and the appended claims I employ theterm jars in a generic sense to. include all containers of this general class. j j

In carrying out my inventioml provide a suitable conveyor mechanism for moving the jars successively `into operative association with a `capping means, including means for engaging the capsflooselyplaced u on the jars and `while imparting a rotary ,mo lion thereto forming or shaping the metal ,of the cap into interlocking engagement with a lip or flange upon themouth ofthe jar. Prefer-f` ably the `conveyor mechanism operates with a s`tepby-step or intermittent movement so as to cause the jars to pausemomentarily jn operative association with the cap ing means duringr the aforesaid shaping or orming operation; and the capping means preferably comprises two opposed positively driven forming elements rotating in the samedireetion so as to cause thejar and cap to rotate during sui-h pausein their movement, `on a suhstantially fixeill axis." In `some instances` if desired, only. one of such rotary formingr elements may he "employed, it being apparent that where two elements are employedoneof them in a broad senseconstitutes simply` an abutment agamst which the mouth of the jar and cap thereon bearyat `one side when pressure is applied to thev `dialnetr'ically opposite side by the other one of said elements in forming or shaping the captoeffect the desired interlocking result;

In the machine selectedfor purposes of illustration, the forming means and the associated operating mechanism are carried hy a frame mounted for vertical adjustment upon a suitable stationary support. 'The conveyor mechanism for the jayrs ,may be supported any suitable or preferred manner. In the present instance I have shown theconveyor mechanism as beiner also carried by the vertically adjustable rame. j

supports mounted upon a spur gear suitably journaled upon the frame 110. Said gear 45 in turn meshes with a pinion 4:6 upon the extreme upper end of the shaft 18; and movement is imparted from the shalt Ll1 to the opposite shaft -12 otl the pair by a gear train designated generally by the numeral -;l7. The shafts of the other pair at the opposite end of the machine are connected to operate in unison through the medium of chain and sprocket mechanisms designated generally by the numerals #i8 and 49, as well as by the conveyor chains 39, and sprockets Ll0.

The chains ot the mechanisms iitl and -19 are also utilized to spa-ce the jars the proper distance apart, and to insure their positive increment into position between the rotary elements 17. Totliis end, said chains hare rigid therewith lingers (Fig. 4l) which operate in pairs to engage the jars and hold them against sliding movement upon their 39. If desired, an additional means may be employed for guiding the jars in their movement through the machine, which means may consist ot a pair ot' belts 5l and of leather or other relatively sott material operatingl upon pulley wheels 53 mounted upon the respective shatts 41 and ll-Q.

In order to permit olf relative lateral adjustment between the two riiitary elements 17, the shai't 19 carrying one of said elements, and also the shafts l?? carrying the chain and sprocket mechanisms BSL-slt), are mounted upon an adjustable bracket 54 forming part of the frame 10, and adjustable between the top member 11 thereof and the bottom member .12 (Figs. a and 7 The n'ieans which I employ for eil'ectingif` this adjustment when desired comprises a plurality oi screws .35 having a threaded en- `Lacement with the 'frame 10 and slidabl)7 connected with the auxiliary bracket or trame fil. Each ol" said screws may have a nut 5G thereon between which and 'the bracket is interposed a spring 57 whereby the latter is capable of yielding outwardly should the rotary element carried by the shaft 19 be subjected to strain due to any ir- `reguilari't'iy in the formation oi the jar, thus avoidingz' injuryT to the lat-ter. To permit ot this lateral adjustment ot the shafts 19 and et@ without disturbing their connections with the shafts 1S and 41 respectively, the chain and sprocket mechanism 38 (Fig. 1) and the Anear train 47 include idlers 5S and 59 which are mounted in the top member of the frame 1li for yieldingr movement as permitted by springs 60 and 61.

Summarizing the operation of the machine. power applied to the shaft 31 is transmitted to thc'shaft 3:3 through the bevel gearing' 3l 1 and 5), and thence is transmitted to the shaft 18 through the gears 3G and 37. The shaft 19 is simultaneously roassociation with the elements 17 bythe chains 39 which serve to support the jars, and by the chain and sprocket mechanisms 4S and `Il?) carrying the lingers ti() which positively move the jars in properly spaced relation. ,Move-1 ment imparted to such conveyngmeans through the gear flo and rollers ethe latter engaging' the Geneva gear t3 which is fast on one ot the shafts ll and thereby, through the gear train -l7 drives the corresponding,r shaft l2 while the shafts 41 and 42 at the ojpiposite end of the machine are driven by the chain and sprocket mechanisms 4:8 and all. It will be observed that in such movement of the jars there is an entire absence ot' friction between them andtlieir supportinnl and guiding means.` j

The arrangement of the conveyor mechanism is such that the jars, as they pass between the rotary elements, pause momentarily while rotary movement 'is imparted thereto through the operation of the elements 17. j These latter engage with the 2a/)spreviously placed upon the jars, upon iametrically opposite sides ther-coi', and since the elements rotate in the same direction, each jar with its cap rotates upon an approximately tired axis during the forming operation. In this operation the upper section or dish otl the forming means exerts pressure upon the cap to effect the desired seal while the lower or forming section of the elements acts to interlock the cap with the retaining lip or flange on the jar; and the operation performed in the short interval of time allowed by the intermittent feeding movement imparted to the jars. The length ot time thus allowed `l'or the forming operation is ot substantial importance for the rea-` son that it the time is too short, the met-al will not. be rolled smoothly nor make a tight grip, and ii the time too long, the'metal will be unduly stretched and thuslose its grip upon the glass. I have found in practice that the rolling operation may best be performed in approximately two revolutions ot the jars, so that the speed of the conveyor mechanism and of the rolling or forming elements are preferably correspondingly proportioned. Y

While I have herein shown and described my invention with considerable particularity, it is contemplated that various changes may be made by those skilled in the art without de parting from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in` the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a capping mechanism, parallel'shafts,

ila

sprocket chains to hold the jar, substantially described. 4

2. In a capping machine, a pair of rotating` cappingdevices by which the cap is applied to a jar, each capping device ceuiprising a pluraiity ci disks adapted to engage the top of the cap, and the flange oit the cap respectively, nieans l'or yieidingly pressing' the disk engaging` the tap of 'the cap toward the disl; engaging the i'iange oi the cap, the peripherj,T of the latter disk icing' coniorinable to the contour of the part of the jar with which the cap is to be engaged, a sub-traine, wherein one capping device is mounted, and lneans -`for adjusting the sub-iframe so as te niove the said capping device thereon te and from the opposed related capping device.

3. In a capping mechanism, paraliei shafts, capping disks mounted en said shafts, ineans i'or driving one of the shafts troni the other to rotate the disks in the saine direction,

shafts carrying sprocket Wheels, and sprocket chains mounted on said Wheels adapted to niove a ar to and between the capping disks, gearing bet-Ween the shafts carrying the chains 'For driving said chains so that their inner runs will move in the saine direction, peliev's cn said shafts concentric With said sprocket Wheels, and a pair oi flexible belts arranged On said pulleys parallel With the s )rocket chains te hold the ar, bstantiali1 as described.

Li. in a cinnging;` machine, a pair of power driven retating capping devices by which the cap is applied to a jar, each oappin` dezicc ernnprisingv a pi dralitjy oit disks rotating about a coinnion center. ineens tor jvieldingly pressing the disks together axially, the peripher,Y ot the lower disk beine' eeniierinabie to the contour 0it the part oi the with which the cap is to be g( "ai, a iii-aine in which a set ci ceppi is inonnted, a subiiraine wherein the ether oi" capping' devices is nieunte and ineans iter adjlisting;- the sub-:5 'aine se as o nieve the said capping devices thereon to and from the opposed f' reiated cappin` devices.

ln testimony whereof, i have hereunto affixed my si ature.

VILLIS J. PEELLE. 

